The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation awarded a $504,000 grant Thursday to the Blanton Museum of Art to establish a curatorial fellowship program that will allow three doctoral candidates the opportunity to work directly with curators. 

Students in the art history program will be able to apply for the fellowship every academic year to have access to hands-on training and professional experience with Blanton curators and other members of the education team.

 “It’s a half a million dollar award, so we’re really able to provide a comprehensive training ground for these young curators,” said Kathleen Stimpert, the Blanton’s director of public relations and marketing. 

There are three positions per year and each fellowship will last one academic year.

“It’s very important to help train the next generation of museum leaders, so something like this affords us this opportunity,” Stimpert said.

The three positions will be awarded in each of Blanton’s core collection areas: prints and drawings and European paintings; modern and contemporary art; and Latin American art, according to Philip Nadasdy, communications director for the department of art and art history.

“Our students have always worked with Blanton in some capacity, but this is significantly bigger outside of internships and individual research,” Nadasdy said. “There is a high professional standard, and we are looking for the very best people to work under the fellowship.”